Inquiry says Vic racing clean

Horse racing in Victoria is not endemically crooked, but the investigative powers of those policing it still need to be drastically increased, according to the state's racing integrity commissioner.

While it found no evidence of "systemic race-fixing", integrity commissioner Sal Perna said his inquiry was severely hamstrung by legislative and procedural restrictions and its conclusions could be unreliable.

It also found betting by jockeys, which is totally prohibited by the rules of racing, was a "major issue".

"There is an acceptance that most, if not all, jockeys bet and such behaviour is condoned," Mr Perna said in his report.

Despite his central finding on race-fixing, Mr Perna has made 11 recommendations to rectify shortcomings in the policing of the sport in Victoria.

Most of his recommendations concern legislative change to allow the sharing of information between police and relevant racing authorities and to give his office greater coercive powers.

He also called for the re-establishment of the police racing squad and for bookmakers to co-operate with investigators.

Mr Perna's inquiry involved a public appeal for information and the setting up of an "integrity hotline", which led to 63 relevant offers of information ranging over thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing.

The information he received also led to a failed attempt by Mr Perna to interview convicted organised crime figure Tony Mokbel, who is serving a 35-year jail term.

Most of the callers offered information on race-fixing, but also ranged from money-laundering to jockeys using drugs to the murder of racing identity Les Samba.

Of the 31 jockeys mentioned, the same name came up 21 times.

Mr Perna said allegations were made in connection with 41 races, including the 1969 Melbourne Cup, and the race at Moonee Valley in 2010 in which jockey Damien Oliver rode another horse and admitted to betting $10,000 on the winner.

The Oliver case is the only one to emerge from Mr Perna's inquiries in which any form of prosecution has ensued. Racing Victoria stewards disqualified Oliver for eight months in November.